San Diego Kodaly Board

Jennifer Marakovits is a visionary and enthusiastic music educator, performer, and arts advocate. She has extensive experience in creating dynamic educational opportunities and fostering community engagement through music. Ms. Marakovits actively works to provide resources for students, families, and colleagues, showcasing her commitment to excellence in music education as a state-certified educator at the Chula Vista Elementary School District. In addition, Ms. Marakovits serves as Vice Chair of the City of Encinitas Commission for the Arts and is the lead creator, promoter, and adjudicator of the annual Youth Piano Concerto Competition. In the continual pursuit of learning, Ms. Marakovits holds certifications in Orff Levels 1 and 2, Kodály Levels 1 and 2, and World Drumming Level 1. Ms. Marakovits has a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music, with a focus on music education and piano, and a Master of Arts degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Grand Canyon University.

Wendy Clemente

Past President 2024-2025

“I inspire greatness by helping children find their voice. A child who sings with confidence and joy will always know how to share his or her ideas and empower others to use their voices as well. I believe that the singers in my classroom are on their way to becoming citizens who will live their lives out loud.”

Since 2003, Wendy Clemente has taught general and vocal music in the Lower School. Beginning with the Tiny Torreys, she enjoys watching her students explore musical expression and find their voice. She believes that all humans are musical and that early music experiences can build skills that will set up a lifetime of music making. In the Middle and Upper School divisions, Wendy works as the theater costumer, designing and dressing shows, while also teaching and mentoring costuming students in the theater tech program.

A life-long Californian, Ms. Clemente always knew that she wanted to be a music teacher. She grew up singing regularly in church and began piano lessons at age 9. In high school, she began performing in musical theater while also interning for a small-label fashion designer. She spent a year studying music and theater in England, toured Western Europe as a soloist, and finally graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education. Ms. Clemente began her first teaching job in Bozeman, Mont., and then relocated to San Diego, teaching music and English at Escondido Adventist Academy for 11 years before coming to LJCDS. She continues to perform as a soprano and conducts various choral organizations, including the La Jolla Renaissance Singers, the UCSD Geisel Library Toy Piano Duo, Bach Collegium–San Diego, St. Paul’s Cathedral, La Jolla Playhouse, and the La Sierra University Vocal Octet Alumni. On weekends, she serves as music director at St. Augustine of Canterbury Church in Escondido. In 2019, she was selected as the La Jolla Rotary Club Teacher of the Year.

Ms. Clemente spends her spare time sewing costumes and apparel for herself and family members, cooking gourmet vegetarian food, reading, and traveling with her husband, two adult children (who are both LJCDS lifers) and two cats.

Debbie Burton

Board Member

Debbie Burton earned a bachelor’s in music education from Union University, and MMED with Kodaly Emphasis from Holy Names College. She has Orff Levels I, II, III and Kodaly Levels I, II, III. Burton has been an elementary, middle school and high school music specialist for over 40 years specializing in elementary education, concert and jazz band instruction, choral and handbell performing groups. Burton taught classroom music for TK-5 at Jerabek Elementary School and Crown Point Junior Music Academy, and is an adjunct professor at Mesa College, San Diego State University and Point Loma Nazarene University, where she teaches music for elementary school teachers. She is a local and national Orff and Kodaly presenter, and is past treasurer and president of the San Diego American Orff Chapter.

melissa Joy TREVINO KEYLOCK

Board Member

Melissa Trevino Keylock is the Artisitc Director of the San DIego North Coast Singers, which she directs three choirs and serves as administrator of the organization. Previously, she worked at the Princeton Girlchoir, American Boychoir School, Rider University, and the Indianapolis Children's Choir. She founded the annual Princeton Girlchoir Children Making a Difference benefit concert, raising over $30,000 for non-profits. For many years, she taught public and private school, including K-12 vocal music and AP Music Theory. Throughout her career, Mrs. Keylock has served in volunteer leadership positions with the American Choral Directors Association, including Eastern Division Repertoire and Resources Chair for Youth Choirs. Mrs. Keylock holds degrees from Wheaton College and Butler University, where she directed the collegiate Women's Glee Club. She completed her Kodály studies at Capital University, and is listed in Who's Who in American Women. She enjoys an active schedule serving as a guest clinician and presenter at choral conferences and festivals nationally. Mrs. Keylock is a Yoga Alliance certified yoga instructor, who infuses yoga into her choral rehearsals. Her arrangements and compositions with co-writer Jill Friedersdorf are regularly performed by festival and honor choirs throughout the country.

Jillian Chavez

Treasurer

Jillian Chavez is a dedicated music educator with a passion for fostering creativity, connection, and personal growth through the arts. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal and General Music Education from Ball State University School of Music and a Master’s in Education from National University in Inspired Teaching and Learning, with an emphasis in Social and Emotional Learning.

From 2018 to 2022, Jillian taught TK–5th grade general music at Myron B. Green Elementary in San Diego. She now teaches concert choir, piano, and guitar at La Mesa Arts Academy in La Mesa, California, where she continues to cultivate a strong, supportive community through music education. Her work emphasizes emotional responsiveness, inclusivity, and artistic excellence.

Throughout her career, Jillian has been guided by mentors who instilled in her the belief that music is not only a form of expression but a powerful force for healing and human connection. A quote that inspires her reads:
“I teach music... so you will recognize beauty, be closer to the infinite... have more love, more compassion... in short, more life.”

This vision fuels her mission to create classrooms where students feel seen, valued, and empowered to grow—both as musicians and as people.

Dr. JennIFER Gee

Secretary

Dr. Jennifer Gee is an Assistant Professor of Elementary General and Choral Music Education at San Diego State University. She instructs undergraduate courses in elementary general music, choral music education, and music integration for elementary teachers. Gee holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education from the University of Kansas, an Education Specialist degree in Elementary Administration from the University of Central Missouri, a Master of Arts in Arts Administration from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Kansas, and a Bachelor of Music in Clarinet Performance from Wichita State University.

Her research is focused on preservice teacher preparation, specifically in positive classroom management strategies, and music integration in the elementary classroom. Her research has been published in the Journal of Music Teacher Education, Update:Applications of Research in Music Education, Visions of Research in Music Education, and the Journal of Education. Gee has presented research at the College Music Society National Conference, the Desert Skies Symposium for Research in Music Education, the Symposium for Music Teacher Education, the National Association for Music Education Music Research and Teacher Education National Conference, the American Orff-Schulwerk Association National Conference, the California All-State Music Education Conference, and the Kansas Music Educators Association. She is an American Orff-Schulwerk nationally certified teacher and also has certificates in Kids, Choir, and Drumming and Drumming Up the Fun through World Music Drumming.

Jessica Hubbard

Vice President

Jessica Hubbard is a San Diego native who was born to be a performing artist and educator. Her love for singing began at 3 years old and she continued her musical journey throughout her education. She graduated highschool from the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts where she studied dramatic theater, dance, poetry, and choral literature.

Ms. Hubbard went on to Grossmont College where she began her studies of classical music. She received an Associates In Music- Classical Studies and an Associates in University Studies – Communications and Language Arts. Ms. Hubbard graduated from San Diego State University in 2017 where she received her Bachelors of Music with an emphasis in voice.

Ms. Hubbard has taught music to all grade levels from preschool to High School. She has worked all around San Diego including for CYT, Grossmont Union High School District, and San Diego Unified. Ms. Hubbard currently serves as an itinerant VAPA elementary music teacher in the La Mesa Spring Valley School District for TK-5th Grade.

When not in the classroom, Ms. Hubbard also teaches private lessons and serves as an Associate Director for the San Diego Children’s Choir. She is a current member of the San Diego Master Chorale who performs regularly with the San Diego Symphony. In 2022, Ms. Hubbard had the opportunity to perform as an alto in Mozart’s Requiem at Carnegie Hall.

Ms. Hubbard is absolutely passionate about the arts and truly enjoys sharing her love of music with her community and most of all her students!

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